


Fire emblem: White Leopards

by Fifth_Rate



Category: Fire Emblem: Fuukasetsugetsu | Fire Emblem: Three Houses
Genre: Angst with a Happy Ending, Byleth is kind of an antagonist, F/M, Gen, Golden Path Sacrifice, He is UNBENDING, I'm gonna put my Original characters through pain because I love them, My Unit | Byleth Is An Emotional Wreck, No beta I die like a fool, Olberic is here, Outsiders/outrealmers, Sothis tries her best, Would you consider it a happy ending?
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2021-01-17
Updated: 2021-03-14
Packaged: 2021-03-14 19:48:46
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 3
Words: 13,824
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28800846
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Fifth_Rate/pseuds/Fifth_Rate
Summary: Tessa didn't know why she was picked. Lady Rhea pulled her aside to become the leader of the fourth house. She was but a commoner with secretive parents, she had no ability to lead others in battle. She only smiled and said yes, because, well... It was the Archbishop! Now she was in charge of multiple people. A lonely boy who loved flowers, a girl who likes fish a bit too much, and an Almyran boy who worshipped her ladyship.Not to say about her Professor, the Ashen demon. She... Doesn't care about her or the lonely boy. Outsiders she called them. She called Olberic that too when she thought no one was around. Tessa—didn't know what to do. All she wanted was to make her town and parents proud, and now she had a burden that only a few would help her carry.It doesn't matter, she would save everyone she cared about.
Relationships: Dimitri Alexandre Blaiddyd & My Unit | Byleth, Edelgard von Hresvelg & My Unit | Byleth, My Unit | Byleth & Claude von Riegan, Original Female Character/Original Male Character
Comments: 1
Kudos: 1





	1. Leading Leopard

**Author's Note:**

> Hello! I didn't know if I should've cross-posted my fanfiction here, but I bit the bullet when Fanfiction had that weird glitch.  
> So, I am pairing my two OC's in this. This Idea and these characters have been in my head for who knows how long. They are the main characters of this story. Mostly it's from Tessa's perspective, but other sides will be sprinkled in. Maybe it's a romance, maybe it's a tragedy in their eyes.
> 
> I'm posting my second fanfiction first on this website. Funny.

Fire Emblem: White Leopards 

**Sorry if this isn't what you're used to. I'm only figuring out this site right now.**

**Though I don't know what might happen, I'm only a** **fifth-rate** **.**

**I don't own Fire Emblem. Though I do own this story.**

**Please help me with paragraphing, should some be meatier? Some should spread a bit more? Let me know to be better at this.**

**Not all surprises are welcomed.**

**But they all serve a purpose.**

**What we do with them, is what counts.**

**Chapter 1: Leading Leopard**

* * *

"And so, you will be leading this fourth house Seteth and I have created. This house is special, in which all future leaders have gathered to learn here, Garreg Mach monastery." Lady Rhea droned at her. Well, not droned. More that she was frozen stiff. This was not what she expected. 

"...Y-yeah Okay, but... Why me?" Tessa said. Only after she sucked air between her teeth. She was but a commoner from the Alliance. She didn't have any skill in leading. To pick her out of all the nobles more capable than her. 

Lady Rhea only looked at her with precise focus. Eyes sharp enough to cut any excuse. 

"Every house is being represented by its future leaders. Claude with the Yellow Deer, Dimitri of the Blue Lions, and Edelgard for the Black Eagles. And so, we of the church wanted them to be comfortable and safe at Garreg Mach. To do that we have decided that having a house that represented the church to be on their level." 

What Lady Rhea said made sense in hindsight. The leaders are gathering, and to make sure they knew they had the church's trust, why not make a house of the church? Students there just to learn and grow alongside the leaders, growing friendships, and bringing the church closer to all regions. 

"I understand that. Why a kid from the Alliance, wouldn't it be better if the leader was someone from the church?" Asked Tessa. Surely, someone more capable than her could do it. It was the church for goddess's sake! 

Rhea sighed. This wasn't how she planned it. She thought the young girl would jump on to it with excitement. How she took charge of helping with the inauguration of the new year. She was able to round up the Yellow Deer when Claude was doing who knows what. 

Seteth was able to come up with an answer. "Many squires of the church are too young to handle it. And as someone who can connect to the common man, you can bring others together." Even then, Tessa's shoulders shook as her muscles tensed. 

"...I understand." 

As she inhaled and exhaled, her eyes looked at both of them. Searching for any hidden answers, yet she would not find any. They either were not hiding anything or were too good. She looked down, unable to stare at them for any longer. 

A growl almost escaped her throat. Guttural, yet silent. 

She wanted to make her family happy, if they were happy, that was all she needed. The church never failed them. They always helped in their time of need, like the rest of Fodlan. 

Shaking off any doubt, though, some of it gripped her heart she looked at them with eyes of hard determination. 

"I'll do it." 

That earned her a smile from Rhea. Well, maybe this wouldn't be too bad.

* * *

_Emptiness..._

That was what Byleth felt. She did not know how many times she had felt like this. Over the course of the coming year. This dread, it was familiar. And unbearable. 

Over and Over. 

She tried. She sure damn tried. 

Failed once again. She thought that siding with the Yellow Deer's this time would save everyone. It didn't. 

Failed once again. Four times. Four times she tried. Yet the people she cared about still died. 

Edelgard. Dimitri. Claude. Rhea. Always near, but never with her. 

This pain ached her heart. It tore through her spirit. Her morale. This pain that haunted her every waking minute would never leave. 

" _Child, please. Look at me._ " Byleth opened her eyes. Ah. Here again. "Sothis..." She looked upon the empty void with tired eyes, and a dragged soul. 

In the empty void that was her mind and heart, lay a throne carved of stone and fine cut details that would impress even masters of their craft. 

It belayed a girl with green hair that overflowed the seat. A blue dress that opened to see her midriff, with the rope over her body. The iconography on her neck. A sad smile she showed. One of regret. 

Yet of hope. 

Byleth looked on at her, the way she sat upright on her throne, for what reason did she sit like she had an idea? "Are we doing this again, Sothis? This was a question, yet looking more closely, was a statement. 

The Ashen Demon wasn't one to give up, especially on her students. Not on Rhea, or Seteth, or even Cyril. She would save everyone. 

Everyone. Wait for her. No mistakes this time. 

Sothis smile brightens looking at Byleth. She was about to say something. To chide her not to run headfirst. She would give her time. Maybe not enough, but she would muster all that she could. 

Her pupils dilated. Her brain rattled. Eyes went up. She grit her teeth. _What was this feeling!?_ This sense of danger. 

She never felt this before. Tears pricked on the edge of her eyes. Did something bad happen? Is this timeline messed up? Thoughts overtook her brain. Ominous to even her. 

"Sothis? What's wrong?" Sothis looked up to see Byleth right next to her. Her hand on her arm looking at her with worried eyes. She didn't even notice Byleth. 

Breathing erratically, she calmed herself. Her shoulders dropped, she tilted her head up. Whatever that was, Byleth and her could handle it. 

She trusted Byleth. She loved her, and many of her students the same. In time everyone will grow to love her as she did. In all four of those times. 

Sighing. "Are you ready, Byleth?" She opened her eyes to her. What she saw was not the broken hero of Fodlan. But Byleth the teacher, the Ashen demon, she who would save everyone she loved. 

Even if she had to forsake others.

* * *

Tessa started preparing. She draped her white shirt onto her body. Covering the callouses and scars from the work she did on the field. Buttoning it up, soon buttoning up the black clothes that went over it. 

Black pants like her fellow leader Dimitri. Fellow. That felt weird to say. She, now an equal to a noble, the next king of Faerghus. 

A long sleeve black shirt that went low enough to show the white shirt underneath. It could be zipped up, but she didn't feel like it. It was similar to Claude's. huh, wonder what the prankster was up to. Next to the leader of the Alliance. 

Next, she put on white gloves. Nothing extravagant, but something that protected her hands. Like Edelgard, the next empress of the Adrestian Empire. 

Finally, a white headband bandana. It wasn't neat, so you could see the overlapping parts of it that covered the top of her forehead and a bit above her hairline. Though, some strands went in between the overlap and poked out to the front of her face. Some hair dangled in front of her ear. It gave her a rough, yet authority like. 

She hoped it was enough. She was about to leave before she looked at herself in the mirror again. Making the decision, she tied the hair that was to the left ear into a braid. That way, she kinda looked like Claude. 

Light brown skin like him, but slanted eyes. She didn't know why she had slanted eyes, her parents never told her. But, she liked them, even though she was the only one with them. 

As far as she knows. She hasn't met the other students other than the Deer. 

Now she was ready. 

Pfff-ready as she'll ever be. 

And- _ope!_

Almost forgot her cape. White in color, some gold embroidery that went parallel horizontally. A gold badge to go with it, pinning it to the left side of her black shirt, along with her white cape that went behind, reaching just below her belt. 

It draped over her left arm, concealing it. 

Now, she was ready. Time to go. 

Touching her door handles, she thrust opened both at the same time. * _Ffwoo-pooosh_ * you needed confidence. 

"Ahem." Freezing at the sound, she craned her neck to see- answer! The person. 

Giving a half-assed wave and apology. "Uhh… sorry Seteth." Giving him a smile that went 'sorrysorrysorry' and 'it wasn't that bad'. 

Seteth only gave a hard stare. She winced as it strengthens. Pivoting her body to fully face him, she bowed. "I apologize Seteth, I shouldn't have slammed my doors like a child, please don-" 

"You needn't apologize. I know when someone is nervous. Take a deep breath." Seteth interrupted her. To want an apology for simply being nervous is not what he wanted. He only wanted the new leader to be ready and prepared. 

Tessa did what he said, Gulping one large air down her lungs, before releasing it. Deflating her chest from all the air. "...Thank you, sir. It's just... I'm a commoner." 

Seteth only looked at her with no anger or irritation, but with calm firm confidence. "That's all right, in Garreg Mach everyone is equal. Best to remember that." Tessa's eyes widened. Did he believe in her? 

Tessa nodded her head with vigor. "O-of course sir! I'll do my best! A-and I'll make you proud" Seteth had to calm her down, from no vigor to too much. 

Seteth and Tessa walked together in an upbeat silence. They didn't say anything, but they both walked assuredly. 

Tessa had confidence. Not in her leading abilities, but at least knowing things could be worse.

* * *

 _30 minutes later_

The Advisor and Leopard left the cathedral after an afternoon's prayer. They walked across the bridge, where Tessa needed to ask something. "So, who's our professor?" She needed to prepare after all. 

Seteth slowed his walk. "We are still deciding, but all of them are very much qualified." Seteth could see Tessa balk at that. Yeah Her lady didn't quite think this through. 

"You guys haven't decided yet?" Tessa quieted her voice down and looked behind her and the front. Checking that no one was around she turned back to the advisor. " _How!?_ " Tess hissed/whispered. 

Pinching the bridge of his nose, he replied. "Rhea sprung this on me, but don't say anything to her." He whispered it back with thinly veiled urgency. And fear? 

Tessa nodded, "Yes sir." Seteth helped her out, this was the least she could do. She had more to ask anyway. 

"So, who's in my house? Will it be students from other houses like myself?" Seteth approved of her question, good that she asked the right ones. 

"One of them is to be a worker of the church, a simple cleaner by the name of Cyril." Ah, so someone from the church. That made sense. 

Having someone from the church to represent the church was a no brainer. Man, she was smart. She had to hide the self-deprecating smile. 

"One other is my sister, Flayn." …Wait. 

What? 

"I'm in charge of your sister..." Tessa could only say it weakly. 

"Yes, Rhea confided with me. She pushed this for me. I tried to deny it, but my sister caught on. She wasn't taking no for an answer." Seteth growled out. Nothing malicious. Just the simple frustration of a worrying sibling. 

Tessa didn't know how to reassure Seteth. So, she did what she thought was right. She clasped a hand on his shoulder and held it firmly. Seteth could only turn to face her. His eyes widened at the determined stare. 

"I'll everything I can to protect her," Tessa said. There was no tone of hesitation. Just a promise. 

"Trust in me." A statement. 

Seteth stopped. It felt like he was looking through her. At someone she embodied. 

She hoped it was someone good. 

Seteth nodded at her. "I'll trust you." Tessa smiled at that. She talked the talk, Now she had to walk it. 

And she would. She let go of his shoulder and started to walk. Seteth followed after her. He was supposed to be leading right now. He should start acting like an advisor again. 

"Where are we headed, sir?" 

"We are headed to the market. Even though the other leaders have a head start and on their way to practice outside of the monastery. We haven't started your training yet. So, we have to get supplies for your class. Be it weapons, armor, or books." 

Tessa just began to realize how unprepared this was. She had to be a lot to work out. 

Seteth then lit up. "Oh! I almost forgot, one student from Faerghus will be joining you." 

"From Faerghus? Are they noble?" 

"Nothing of the sort. He is a commoner like you, albeit a strange one." 

"Strange?" 

"He seems out of it, almost wistful sometimes. Then he has bouts of anxiety. Be soft with him. He's still trying to assimilate." 

Assimilate? 

So, he was a foreigner? 

That made things interesting. Or he didn't know about school life. 

That makes two of them. 

"Of course, I'll try to be as gentle as I am needed. This is new to me as well. I think my classmates are in the same boat. We have something to bond over." Tessa reassured him. this could make things easier for her. 

Soon after the bridge, they went to the corridor, out the corridor, to the mess hall, and finally to the market. 

There Seteth began buying en masse, supplies for the White Leopards. Some knights moved to help him, and so did Tessa. 

Gathering the items in carts, they started to wheel them to the extra house. 

"Where's the house?" 

Seteth sucked air in through his teeth as Tessa said that. He looked at her. She looked at him. 

"Oh, you gotta be kidding me," Tess said as she shook her head slowly. Her voice went a bit deeper. 

Seteth turned to and the rest of the knights, which looked at Tessa with pity, but she ignored it. "No, Rhea isn't kidding you. the construction of the fourth house hasn't been completed." This was a terrible idea now that he thought about it. 

Rhea just said that this is what they were doing. Without any foresight or objections. He tried to object, but she ignored it. The archbishop could be thoughtless sometimes. To get what she wanted she would go in without second thought. 

"Do not worry, we gave you a bigger room to compensate." 

"Bigger ro- you gave me a bigger room for what!? It's not like we'll be lea-" 

Tessa stopped herself. The look she gave him tried to bore holes into his head. Seteth could only apologize by slightly bowing. 

Tessa looked at the workers who were building the new house. They worked efficiently and fast. Though, she didn't know how long it would take. This was starting to annoy her a bit. 

"So, what are we gonna do with these?" She propped up the books in her arms. They would very much clutter her room, didn't matter how big it would be. The closer she looked at them, the more she could decipher. 

Theory in war and tactics, How to build trust, beginners guide to armed combat. Very much in the fighting department. 

"We don't have much legroom, but with have some. Even though you have a designated teacher, every professor helps out each class. We could store some in each of the professor's room. Then, when it comes to the time to teach your class, they would have everything ready." 

Seteth was sound. Having the items in their professor's room sounded good enough. "Alright, that sounds better." Tessa nodded her head eagerly. The less time they spent in her room the better. 

"The start of the new year, Great Tree Moon. Let's hope the next day will be better." Tessa said. She might've been ready. But the church sure as hell wasn't. 

"Yes, let's." Ordering the knights to put the equipment in the training hall and some in the storage for White Leopard. They were off to see the professors. 

The first was Hanneman. Knocking on his door, Seteth and Tessa were carrying books about magic theory. the door shook a bit, it was locked. 

Opening it from the inside, was Hanneman the Crest scholar. "Ah, Seteth! It's great to see you! And is this who I think it is?" Hanneman said. He spread his arms far in a welcoming gesture. 

"Good to see you, too. Hanneman." Giving him a polite nod, he tilted his head to Tessa. She waved after making sure the books were secured. "And this is Tessa, the new leader of the White Leopards." 

"Hello, professor Hanneman." It was polite and simple. Tessa's voice usually goes into a lighter tone when she spoke to someone she didn't know and was comfortable with. Like a student's voice when presenting. 

"Hello, my dear student. It good to see someone I'll be teaching early." He was courteous. She started to get a bit more comfortable. 

For Tessa, she like the feeling of trusting others. 

Seteth cut in, wanting to get this done as quickly as possible. "We're here to give you the supplies that you will be going to teach her class." 

Hanneman raises one eyebrow, "I see. Well, I have an extra spot right next to my desk. You can put it there. Orderly please." 

Thanking him, they put the books near where he specified. Quick and easy. 

"We'll be going now. We have to meet the other two professors. Thank you for your time, Hanneman." Seteth said. It was all professionalism with him with others on his work staff it seemed. 

"Well, you to be alright now. I cannot wait to teach your class, Miss Tessa." He put out his hand for a shake. 

Tessa obliged, Hanneman seemed alright in her book, hopefully, his classes were fun. "I can't wait to learn from you professor." She smiled at him. He felt easy to trust. 

"Come along, we have to drop off the rest." 

"Yes sir." 

And off they went.

* * *

They went to the mess hall after meeting the other professors. 

Manuela's room was... interesting? A bunch of trash laid about. She almost tripped on a pile of garbage, and there was no room to put down the items they brought for her. 

An impromptu cleaning session began on Seteth word. He was irritated a bit. He got a bit more irritated when she started to tease him. Saying things like how he wouldn't get a lover with how stern he was. 

She was funny and amicable. She was the most comfortable around her. 

After that fiasco, they met the Deer's professor, Olberic Eisenberg. He was a big man, 190 cm tall. He laughed a bit, but he was a focused man. Seteth said that his nickname was 'the unbending blade'. 

He worked with Holst to defend against Almyra. Though, now he was simply a teacher at Garreg Mach. 

They were the teachers of Garreg Mach. They all had their points. They seemed great. And she couldn't wait to learn from them. 

As she ate, Seteth notified her that Lady Rhea called for him, so he had to leave. 

She wanted to ask him if there would be a student from Adrestia. She could ask him later. 

Eating her fish and putting her plate in the 'to be washed' pile she went on with her day. Her day was basically free now. The students from the main houses would be out today. 

They were on an expedition with professor prospects. So, the future teacher would be coming with the students back to Garreg Mach. 

It made butterflies soar in her stomach. She should've been there with them. Alas, she was pulled away by the Archbishop for an impromptu visit. 

As she made her way out of the mess hall, she waved to the gatekeeper in a pleasant hello. 

Walking to the front, to look through the market, she stopped. Squinting to see farther, she saw a mass of people walking through the gate. Similar uniforms, tired and ragged. 

Wait. 

Those were her peers! 

Sifting through some people, she brusquely walked to the gate. It was night, near dead. They should've been back by tomorrow! It was a camping trip. 

Seeing a familiar white hairstyle, she started to wave frantically. 

"Lysithea!" Lysithea, a small white hair youth, turned to the voice. She gaped as she recognized the person. "Tessa!" 

Tessa jogged to her former classmate. As she neared, some of the Yellow Deer saw her coming closer. 

"Tessa!" 

"Hey, Tessa!" 

Ignatz and Leonie waved back to her. Ignatz was tired, as he looked disoriented. Leonie had sweat running down her face, though she had the same friendly smile as always. 

"What're you guys doing here! I thought you guys were supposed to be camping! Is everything alright?" Seeing the wince they gave her was all she needed to know. 

"...What happened. Did something bad happen!" She got a bit too close to Lysithea. Who back away putting her hands in front of her. 

"Calm down, Tessa!" Lysithea pushed her away, not roughly, but enough for Tessa to back off. She tilted her head down a bit. "Sorry. I'm just worried." 

Lysithea sighed. It was like talking to a small child, even though Tessa was quite taller. She was 183 cm tall. "That's fine. Your worries are right. We ran into a bit of trouble." 

Tessa breathed out before putting her hand on her chin. "What kind of trouble. I don't see any of the would-be professors around. "As she stared at the mass of people who just came in, it mostly students with knights sprinkled in between them. 

Leonie, who jumped in, growled. "Bandits." Bandits! Tessa paled a bit, her town dealt with some a few times, but it was the knights who saved them. Bandits were scum in her eyes. Though she wouldn't want to deal with them, the toughest could hand in there with the knights. 

As she looked about. She couldn't find three certain people. 

"Where's Claude?" That question made the Yellow Deer tear their eyes away. 

Ignatz answered. "He stayed behind to take the bandit's attention." What. 

"Claude gave you guys time to escape?" 

"Yeah. Him, the next king of Faerghus, and the next ruler of Adrestia." Ignatz responded again. Though he looked ashamed, he also looked relieved that he was fine. 

Tessa ran her hand through the top of her hair, not messing with her headband. "Well, we can only hope that they are going to be okay." Or her ladyship's plan would go to waste. 

She slapped her cheeks, startling the trio of Deer. No! She shouldn't be thinking like that. She needed to believe. Not negatively. 

"Tessa?..." Tessa opened her eyes to see Ignatz. He looked worried about her. "It's fine. Just some bad thoughts in my head. I was just clearing them away." He stilled looked worried but relented. 

She tried to assuage their worries. "Look, it's already night, and some students are leaving for their dorms, you guys should too." She turned to some of the students already picking themselves up and leaving. 

Lysithea had her arms crossed. "I wanted to go to the library. Guess I just have to wait for tomorrow." She bit her lip at that. 

"Don't worry, you'll have time for that," Tessa reassured her. But that only made the young girl blanch. Was it something she said? 

"Y-yeah you're right. I'll just go to my room." Lysithea nodded to them before making her way to the dormitories. Ignatz and Leonie followed after. 

Tessa realized something, but since they walked pretty fast, she yelled, "They have strawberry cake for dessert!" Ignatz and Leonie were surprised, but Lysithea froze for just a second. She then walked even faster, jogging most likely to the Mess hall. 

She smiled at the sight. Now, it was time to hit the hay.

* * *

 _One day later..._

It was breakfast, she ate alone this time. It was weird not having some of the Deer around. They were a rival house now. She didn't like the sound of that. 

She hasn't even met some of her classmates yet. 

Finishing her food, she went to the second floor to talk to Seteth. See if things were fine. 

What she didn't expect was to find a man with orange clothes and armor over it. They were the same height. He had a gruff exterior and tired eyes. Eyes that said he didn't want to be here. 

"Excuse me, do you know the way to Seteth's room?" Tessa said. She was brought to lady Rhea's chamber last time for the discussion. So, she didn't know the way to Seteth's chamber. 

The man in orange looked at her before scratching his chin. "Seteth is in Rhea's chamber if you have a question, better to wait for him to leave the chambers." 

Tessa gave him a nod and walked Rhea's chamber. She stopped at the entrance and leaned against a wall and waited for Seteth to leave. She closed her eyes and hummed a small tune. This might take a while. 

Five minutes quickly passed as she waited. Stretching now and then, she looked towards the door again and again. Just to maybe hear a creak. 

* _Cree~ak*_

Immediately turning her head to the noise, she didn't see Seteth. She froze 

She saw a woman with blue hair, black armor with a long black cloak, and piercing blue eyes. Leggings that were stylized and a knife. 

What made her freeze up were her eyes. 

Cold and accusatory. Questioning. Trying to bore a hole into her. 

She didn't know what she did, but she wanted to apologize. 

With her blue eyes, it was like she was saying,

'Who are _**you?'**_

'Why are you _**here?'**_

'Why do you _**exist?'**_

Questions that sounded simple, but something about it made her feel like nothing would be right for those questions. 

"U-uh, Hello?" Tessa put her hand up in greeting, that was me with a stare. She put her hand down. Clasping her left arm, which was concealed, with her right hand. Tessa shifted her weight to each leg for a few seconds each. 

"D-do you need something... F-from me?" The intensity got kicked up to eleven. Tessa looked anywhere but the women. 

For what seemed like an eternity for Tessa, the women finally relented. The women of the blue left, striding across the floor. As if she had to meet someone, probably the man in orange. 

Filling her lungs with air through her nose, she blew all of it out of her system. She didn't know what earned her the death glare, but she was glad it was over. 

The door opened again, this time Seteth. Waving at him, she walked to meet him at the entrance to Rhea's room. "Hey, sir. Is everything fine?" 

Seteth jumped a bit before collecting his composure. "Oh- ah. Tessa. Good, you're here. I have something to talk to you about." 

Well, this should be good.

* * *

Byleth didn't understand. Actually, she did, but that made things worse. Sothis tried to calm her, and she was ignored. 

_5 minutes ago..._

Rhea, with her ever-present glow and warmth, looked at Byleth with some sort of glint in her eyes. A glint Byleth knew too well. "Byleth, would you, perchance, work as a professor here at Garreg Mach?" 

"Lady Rhea, wait-" 

"Now, hold on Rhea-" 

"Yes." 

Seteth and her father, Jeralt, looked at her with jaws opened. They both closed it before they looked any more ridiculous. Rhea looked more elated than she probably should have looked. The glint came ten folds stronger. 

Jeralt put a hand on her shoulder. "Byleth, you've been different from when you woke up. Are you feeling alright?" 

"I'm fine, father. I know what I want." Byleth said as she cupped her hands on his arm. It was to assuage his fears. 

It did little, but he relented enough for her to look at Rhea again. 

Seteth stepped in this time. "Hold on. We don't know if she has any credentials, Lady Rhea!" He yelled the last part out. It brought Rhea out of her thoughts and back to him. The glare made him regain his composure. 

"Apologies. Lady Rhea, I'm just worried th-" 

"Stow your worries. I believe the other professors will help her out when she needs it. Now, the professors." 

With that, the doors opened. To see Hanneman and Manuela again was a gre- 

Who was he? 

Byleth had the ever-present stiff emotionless stare. So, no one could decipher what she was thinking. 

'Sothis? Who is he?' 

'I don't know.' 

'Is he an anomaly?' 

'I don't know. There's nothing strange about his aura. No strange magic, either. Remember, not everything will be the same as those last time. We just got lucky. It seems that the professor didn't run away this time.' 

Rhea held out her arm, showing the esteemed professors. "They are Hanneman, Manuela, and Olberic. These fine teachers shall be shall aid you when you need it." 

Hanneman bowed. Same introduction. 

Manuela gave her a flirty smile. Same introduction. 

Olberic... "it's nice to meet you. If you need any help, don't be afraid to ask me. Or any of us here, we are all equal here." 

No, we aren't. You aren't even supposed to be here. 

'Byleth! Heed your anger. His existence is not bad!' Sothis had to yell in her mind to get her attention. She was promptly ignored.

Byleth bowed, "Thank you. I'll try my best." She bit out. Only Jeralt heard it. the tone of it. 

His daughter was out of it, he needed to know what was going on. 

Byleth looked at the three professors, their banter, and their smiles. 

"Olberic, no need to be so stiff. C'mon, relax a bit~" 

"Mmhm. Manuela-" 

"She's right you know. Loathe am I to admit it, you need to relax, we're among friends." 

"... Alright. I have been tired recently." 

"Splendid, now how about you and me hit the bar~"

"Manuela, please not in front of others. You are a professor-"

"Oh, you need to lighten up as well Hanneman!"

They seemed to like each other. 

Seteth gained their attention by coughing. He looked to Rhea for any more answers. 

Rhea looked at everyone as a whole, "Well, if that's all, then please situate yourself here at the Monastery." 

Byleth interrupted her. "May I ask a question?" Rhea nodded. "There are three houses, which one am I in charge of?" 

Which one is Olberic in charge of so I can take it? 

'Byleth...' 

Sothis was ignored. 

Rhea's smile brightens. "Do not worry, Seteth, and I made a plan, especially for the coming years." 

"A plan?" Jeralt was the one to say something now. 

"Yes, this year is special. For that, all future leaders have been gathered here to learn. We have decided to make the fourth house." 

A fourth house? Were Yuri and the others out of the abyss? Was that a change? That was good- 

"By the name of White Leopards, led by Tessa Rezian, a commoner from the alliance." 

…Who? 

"Do not worry, even though she does not have a crest, I believe she has the potential to lead like the rest." 

Byleth was despondent. This was not how things were supposed to go. "So, I'm in charge of the White Leopards?" 

Rhea smiled at her, oblivious to Byleth's thoughts. "yes, that's correct. Don't worry, the students were told that they would be apart of this group and all have accepted." 

"... that's great. I can't wait to teach them." 

Black bile felt like it was consuming her, from her throat to the outside. This wasn't how it was supposed to go. 

_Present..._

Byleth brusquely walked to the classrooms. there wasn't a fourth, it was being constructed painfully fast. By Sothis measurements, it should be done... The next day. 

Just great. 

Stalking her way to the classrooms. Everyone was supposed to be where they were. Like nothing changed. 

This was how it was supposed to be.

* * *

Not all surprises were welcomed. But, they all serve a purpose. It is what we do with those surprises, is that changes our lives. 

Through pain and misery. 

Fire and brimstone. 

Honing your edge to fight back. 

Welcome to the **Golden Path.**

* * *

**Commencing... Golden Ending. Heads up. Another OC incoming. Final important OC, other than backstory ones.**


	2. Hidden Flower

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Tessa, now realizing who that women was thanks to Seteth is distraught. She stows it away and moves on with her day, now trying to meet her second member; and a meeting she will find. To start the new year, she and the other leaders present themselves to the student body in the reception hall. After, she wants to know who her classmate is.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I already had this done, sorry for not posting it immediately.

Fire Emblem: White Leopards 

**All** **these thoughts and ideas have been crowding in my mind. This is the best way to deal with them.**

**Alone and Loneliness are two different things.**

**To be alone is to be by yourself.**

**To be lonely is to find oneself surrounded by indifference.**

**Find love, find friends.**

**Also, The next update will be Pallet Town Heroes, and I have decided the length of chapters for BOTH stories will be depending on what I think the chapter needs. So, maybe IT COULD BE 1,000 for one chapter or 10,000 words for another. Depends on what I need for the pace and the story. Thank you for your time.**

**It's not OCxClaude nor OCxDimitri.**

**I don't own Fire Emblem, Though I do own this story.**

**Chapter 2: Hidden flower**

* * *

_8 minutes later..._

Tessa had to process what she just heard. The scary woman was supposed to be her teacher. Oh god. 

Tessa looked at Seteth with an unhidden plea. "C-can't you do anything? That woman is just a mercenary, no?" She tried to be hopeful. But it came crashing down as Seteth shook his head. Her choice in accepting just got worse. 

They walked to the lower floor, specifically, to the dormitories. 

To say Tessa was stiff would be an understatement. She didn't drag her feet, no. She, however, walked upright and her arms didn't bend. Inhaling through the nose and out with it. 

Looking around, she could see some students frolicking about. Some, she recognized. Raphael and Ignatz, Leonie was arguing with Lorenz. 

Bringing her attention back to the advisor, who was leading her... Somewhere. 

"Where are you taking me, sir." Her shoulders were slumped. sometimes biting her thumbnail. Not to say of the sweat forming near her brow. 

Maybe it was getting hotter? Who was she kidding, it was the Great Tree Moon. It was pretty cool to warm. She was nervous. 

Seteth turned his head to continue, "Well, I'm trying to find the kid from Faerghus. I felt he should be around here somewhere." After he finished his sentence, he then scanned the area, trying to find the kid. To no avail. 

"Where is that kid." He muttered. Tessa's heard though. "What's he like?" Tessa asked. She asked as she put her right arm on her hip. 

Turning back to her, "He's-" He tried to find the right words, "You know, wistful. Nervous." He had explained to her. He already said that.

Tessa shifted her weight to balance on both her feet. "Well, I kinda need more than that to try and find him. What does he look like?" 

"He has black hair that sticks up in every direction, but they aren't pointy. Wavy mostly." Seteth responded almost figured that if she knew what he looked like, at least his hair, she should be able to find him. 

She scanned the dormitories. "Where's his room?" Seteth pointed near the end of the dormitories, away from the green pastures to the stone works. 

Walking that way without warning, Tessa began looking and looking quickly. Her eyes soaked the area around her. Looking for even the tiniest detail. From their postures to their hair. Any hint would be good enough. Nothing seemed out of the ordinary, but who said the foreigner had to look strange.

She tried to hear their conversations. Three students from the Blue Lions, "That woman was quite weird. Did you get a weird feeling from her?" 

"Yeah, the way she stared at Dimitri was off-putting. It was only when his back was turned." 

A third voice dropped in, "She did that with his bodyguard, too. I think his name was Dedue?" 

"Pah! Who cares what his name was. That dog shouldn't be near his highness!" Tessa's nose wrinkled. She didn't want to hear any more of this conversation. 

Nothing of value would be gained from it. 

Tearing her ears away from that conversation, she went on ahead as Seteth assisted her. 

Black hair. Hmm. No, that guy had orange-red hair and was flirty. The other guy looked a bit shy, but he had grey hair. 

She saw a lot of interesting students. From Black eagles, a blue hair excitable youth. The Deer, the lazy pink hair Goneril. She grunted, Hilda sometimes got on her nerves due to her usual attitude.

And- "Hey, Tessa! Looks like your looking for someone. Could I be of help?" 

Seteth was the one to address him. "Claude, I hope you're not up to any of your antics." He let out an exasperated sigh as Claude gasped. 

"I would never, sir! I thought I would be a good house leader and help out a classmate." He turned to Tessa, taking in what she was wearing. 

Claude furrowed his brow. This was interesting. "...And it seems your not part of the Golden Deer anymore." 

Though it wasn't accusatory, it was a fact and stated as such. It made Tessa wince. She felt like a traitor. Tessa didn't like the feeling, it was bile that rose from her throat. She tried to straighten her back to gain confidence, yet that seemed like it didn't work; with how she felt her shoulders sag instantly.

She didn't know Claude enough, but it still hurt her inside. "Yep, I was part of lady Rhea's new plan. The fourth house." Resignation than anything more. 

The Golden Deer's house leader's expression was unreadable. It seemed like he was in deep thought, yet she could feel like he was watching everything. 

From Seteth and her to every other student here. Would he be mad? Would he hate her? I mean, hating her and not even knowing her that well would be ba- 

"Congratulations!" What? She was met with an easy-going smile. It looked to be genuine happiness. Though, Tessa usually couldn't decipher if the other person was hiding something. 

"Y-your, happy for me? Even though I'm not in your house now?" Was he joking with her? Tessa hoped not. This was the best way he could've taken it. 

"House smhouse. You're still part of the Alliance. So, we get bonus points since your new leader. Right Seteth~" He winked at the advisor. 

"No, you don't. She is supposed to represent the church. As is all of Fodlan is under the church's protection." Seteth was quick to shut it down. Tessa wasn't ashamed to give a small laugh. It seemed Seteth wasn't having any of it today.

Claude blew a raspberry. Tessa thought she saw a vein bulge on Seteth's forehead. "Well, that's too bad. I guess that makes us rivals. Don't fall behind now." Tessa couldn't help but snort a bit at that. She was never a competitive person, so that didn't have that much of an effect on her.

Seteth intervened, "Even though we hold events that pits the houses against each other, we want to foster an area of cooperation among the houses." 

"Then you should put everyone in one big house," Claude responded. With that quick response, the air changed a bit. Not tense enough that your muscles would strain, but everyone in the conversation paid a little more attention to what was being said. 

Seteth denied the notion, "Preposterous. They're too many students to fit into one house. You guys wouldn't be able to learn anything." 

Claude decided to push it further, "Okay, I agree with you on that. **_But_ ** ! If you want us the cooperate with people from the _outside..._ " Claude meant those words. He laid it on pretty thick. Tessa looked between the two. Mostly trying to see their reaction. 

Claude had clasped both hands behind his head, intertwining them. His head tilted up, eyes closed. Smiling. 

Seteth gave a stern glare. He looked to Claude if he had anything more to say. When he didn't... 

"I may concede you have a point," Seteth said, crossing his arms. "Might I ask, who gave you that idea? Or was it your own scheme?" Straight to the point. 

Claude's smile went even wider. "Well, it was Jeralt's daughter. Byleth Eisner, I think her name was." 

Seteth looked alarmed and paled a bit. Tessa looked pale as well. "Is she the one with blue hair and black armor?" Tessa asked with apprehension.

"That's the one. How do you know?" Claude raised an eyebrow. He didn't know how Byleth came into contact with Tessa. Unless... 

Tessa swallowed her spit, "She's to be my house's teacher." Claude's eyes widen at that. He quickly hid his surprise with a grin. A grin that did not bode well in the coming year.

"Say. Would you like to trade teachers?" Tessa sputtered at the question. Before realizing something. "What? Wait. You don't like professor Olberic?" Tessa questioned. 

Claude shrugged, "It's not that I don't like him. Byleth is just more interesting to me." That earned a stare from Seteth. 

"Not that kind of way, if that's what you're thinking of Seteth," Claude interjected. He said that so quickly it almost came out as gibberish. Seteth grew irritated by the casualness. 

Claude gave a lazy wave, spinning his arm in an explaining manner. "What I mean is that I think I could learn a lot from the mercenary. And she was kind as well." 

She was kind to Claude? The woman bore holes into her head when she saw her. 

Seteth gave a low frown. "Well, I don't know if you're going to be happy about this, but every teacher is going to teach you. It's just that professor Olberic is to be your main teacher." 

Claude smiled at him. Though, to Seteth's eyes. It wasn't that genuine. He needed to keep his eye on mister Reigan, lest he is caught off guard. 

"That sounds grand, teach. I can't wait to learn." Claude then turned away, before turning back to look at Tessa. "Oh, before I go. Make sure to train to your best. It wouldn't be much fun to win against an unprepared opponent." 

Giving a wink, he left with hesitation. Tessa blanked at the challenge. She brought herself out of her stupor and yelled, "Worry about yourself, Mister Von Reigan!" 

Tessa stared at his back until he disappeared by turning the corner. Seteth grabbed her right arm, "Let's go find your classmate." Nodding to his words, they soon left to find him.

* * *

_5 minutes later..._

Tessa intentionally dilly-dallied her way to the end of the dorms. See what everyone was talking about. Mostly, about the mercenary group that came in and saved the house leaders. 

Led by Jeralt the blade breaker and his daughter, the Ashen demon. To know that her teacher would go by such a moniker, that made her shiver. 

Just what had she brought unto herself? 

"We're here." Tessa looked at where Seteth was. He was just ahead of her and at a door. It was like every other dormitory door, Two doors that were brown and barren. 

Tessa surprised him by walking and stepping up to the door. 

* _Knock knock*_

They both waited. Five seconds. Ten seconds. fifteen seconds. No response from the inside, Tessa looked at Seteth. Seteth nodded to her to knock again. 

* _Knock knock_ * 

Again they waited. Five seconds. Ten seconds. 

Tessa gently held the handles of the doors. Seeing if they could be opened and weren't locked. Pulling the doors... 

* _Cree~eak*_

They opened with no restraint. Tessa looked inside, as she blatantly ignored Seteth's 'you mustn't'. 

Plants. Flowers to be more precise. 

They covered from top to bottom. Glistening from the sun that entered from the window and opened doors. They shined in a way that made Tessa warm inside. 

She instantly spotted four kinds. One of white, one of blue, one of gold, and one of red. 

They all had an iridescent glow as she swayed to look at all of them from different angles. becoming brighter or changing the color itself. All of them moved at the same time, yet in a pack of the same color. 

All flowers. Four different kinds. Moved independent of each other, yet together with the same color. 

It didn't take her long to find wood, a tree bending in the corner of the boy's room. She didn't know where the tree came from, but it moved with the corner to the roof and went to the center of it. Multiple flower pots hung from the thick branches that had flowers on themselves. 

Tessa didn't realize she stepped fully into this room until she heard Seteth behind her. 

"...My word." 

Tessa looked behind her to see the advisor of the church taking in all of the flowers. 

What a sight to behold. 

"Mm. Mhmm... Huh?" A sleepy voice said. 

Seteth was brought of his amazement and coughed into his fist. He gained the attention of Tessa, who looked at him before looking at the bed. Which was hidden amongst a lot of flowers. 

One boy with spiky soft hair laid in his bed, unaware of the two trespassers. 

Surrounded by blue flowers in lengthy pots near the bottom of his bed and at the headrest. 

Seteth clasped Tessa's shoulder, urgently moving her out of the way. "Wha-hey!" Seteth, now near the student's bed, gently shook him awake. 

"Hey, wake up." 

"Mmmm... I don't have class today..." Seteth sighed. He was right, but that was because they had introductions. 

Seteth shook him a bit more forcefully, "You have to meet your leader _and_ your teacher!" That got the boy to stir. 

"...Alright _, alright._ I'm up!" He thrust both his hands up, almost hitting Seteth in his jaw. 

He wore a white tank top, and his hair went every wear. It wasn't spiky like Seteth said, mostly due to bedhead. His face was was still asleep, if his eyes closed and a bit of drool coming from the side of his mouth said anything. His eyebrows were furrowed. 

Seteth re-adjusted the collar of his shirt before addressing the strange boy, "Get dressed, you might be late to get food." The boy only nodded and shifted his body to get out of bed. 

Seteth tapped Tessa on the shoulder, which made her get out of the boy's room. 

Now both out of his room, where he could change, Tessa wanted to address something, "You never actually told me his name." Seteth only gave a face full of confusion. 

Only to light up and berating himself in his mind. 

"I see I have slipped up. His name is... Rodney. Rodney fraer." Tessa noticed the pause. She only nodded at the answer given. She didn't want to press further and get answers from Seteth. 

That was going to be her new classmate, and someone she is supposed to lead. She wanted him to trust her. 

If she couldn't get him to trust her, then what good was she as a leader. 

* _Cree-eak~*_

They both turned to the sound and saw the boy. he was still in his room, he just opened his doors. It made him look like he was in a magical garden. 

He had his hands intertwined and his arms were straight. He looked embarrassed by the loud noise the door made. He grumbled under his breath before opening his eyes and walking. He got closer, you could see his ears were red. 

"Now I see why you say he was shy, sir." Tessa looked at her first classmate. 

His hair was spiky like Seteth said. Yet, they also followed the wind no matter how weak. His eyes were blue and clear, they were-slanted like hers. His black jacket was opened to the white dress shirt. Black pants and was about a head smaller than she was. 

His skin was olive, that was to say, only slightly lighter than she was. Though, he looked pale. Probably not getting enough exposure to the sun. 

'Rodney' spoke up, "Yeah, sorry I woke up late." Did he bow? Seteth only crossed his arms. "This is only the first week, best to pick up now rather than later." 

Seteth shifted his body to introduce Tessa, "This is Tessa, your new house leader." Giving him a polite wave, she put out her right hand for a shake. 

It turned awkward as he bowed before stopping and seeing the hand. He straightened his body before going for a shake. "Oh. Sorry." 

Tessa made it worse. By wanting to make him more comfortable around her, retracted her hand and tried to bow. "No, I'm sor-" 

Seteth watched this go on for five seconds. 

To be honest, he wanted it to go by longer. 

_"A-hem."_ They both stopped and stared at Seteth like deer in front of a wagon. 

"While I do find this amusing, we best be off. Rodney-" Rodney looked confused for a second, before standing straight. "Go get your food and meet us at the reception hall. There, the archbishop shall address the new year." 

Rodney nodded along, "Understood, sir." He began walking to the mess hall, but not before waving goodbye to Tessa. 

She watched him go in the direction of the mess hall, ignoring and avoiding everyone he passed. His pace is quick and fleeting. Passing every conversation he heard and not indulging in what was said. 

Tessa waved back to his retreating form. She swiveled her head back to Seteth, "What will the Archbishop be doing, exactly?" 

Understanding what She said, Seteth responded, "She'll be introducing each house leader. That includes you." Tessa froze. Her breathing stopped at an inhale. 

"...What." 

"Do not worry, you won't be making any speech. It is in fact, the Black Eagles leader to be giving a speech." 

Tessa exhaled and let her shoulders slump. "Don't scare me like that." She just got this role. 

Reorganizing herself, "Anyway, don't you think our numbers are a bit too small for a house?" Seteth nodded, agreeing with her. 

Only having a house with four people would be nonsense. They would be at a disadvantage in every event. It didn't matter if they represented the church and had the backing of it. So, Seteth and Rhea must have had a plan. 

"Indeed, the plan was to swap students from the other houses periodically. That way, multiple students from each house could bond with each other without rivalry." 

That sounded good. That meant they weren't undermanned. Though, who's to say that rivalries won't form anyway. 

"Anyway, let's be on our way." 

"Yes, sir."

* * *

The reception hall was big, she knew that obviously. 

But now, there were so many students and squires. Knights and staff workers. Almost the entire population, yet there was a seat available for everyone. It was a lot more vast than she saw last time. 

"Miss Rezian, please sit over there." Seteth pointed to a few open seats. It seemed that those seats were reserved. Probably for the house leaders, if she was supposed to sit there. Though, there were seven seats in total. 

Giving him a 'thank you' she proceeded over. She got stares from multiple students from every house. Those of confusion, mostly. However, there were some stares of sneers and angered bewilderment. 

Ignoring those she quicken her pace and sat down. She sat outward from the table. Leaning back to the table to rest her back. Tessa put her right leg over her left and crossed her arms. Closing her eyes, letting her ears rest, and blend all those words into gibberish and nonsense. 

she heard a * _plat*_ to her left. Looking at it, she saw Rodney. He had his plate of eggs and bacon, and with him was a fork. He gave her a subdued wave before he began eating. 

Looking around, she thought he would have to sit with others rather than herself. She just met him. She guessed it didn't matter, they would get to know each other. 

She was going to close her eyes again before another person sat next to her. 

Claude. 

Giving her a wink and a small wave to Rodney, which was ignored, he sat back as she did. 

There was nothing to be said. 

"May I sit here?" 

The two leaders both looked at the source of the question. One blonde hair blue caped gentlemen. his eyes were kind on the surface. He had the noble air to him, yet he had a humble tone when he asked. 

"Of course, your majesty. We wouldn't want your feet to become sore." 

"Claude, you need not call me majesty, and please don't tease me. Whatever goes on in that head of yours." Dimitri, the house leader for the Blue Lions, said. Exasperated at Claude's demeanor, he sat down right next to him. Sitting one seat far from Tessa and Claude would make things awkward. 

Dimitri looked her in the eye and with a smile, he said, "Hello, I am Dimitri Alexandre Blaiddyd, I see you're the new leader." Courteous and formal. 

She returned the gesture to the best of her abilities, which was a half-hearted grin. "Back at you, too." It was supposed to be casual, but she realized who she just spoke that too. She panicked. Especially when his eyes widen. 

"I'm sorry, that was ru-" 

"No. No. That's alright. Actually, I would like you to be less formal with me. We are all students here to learn, after all." 

Tessa was stunned. A noble treated her with respect. "I-i. Okay, I'll call you Dimitri." That earned her a smile. To think a noble would be this casual with a commoner. 

Claude ruined it by butting in. "Well~ Look at you, Dimitri. Thinking about sweeping her off of her feet?" Dimitri and Tessa's ears turned red. 

They both sputtered. Rodney ignored them. 

"That's not what's going on Claude!" 

"C-Claude, shut your mouth!" 

The schemer could only grin. 

* _Eeeee-eer*_

Everyone quieted down. They all turned to the two giant doors that just have been opened. Two figures. One in white and one in red. The one in white was Lady Rhea, the Archbishop. A motherly smile accompanied her features with the decorated robes she wore. 

The other was a bit smaller than the archbishop herself. She wore red leggings, had striking white hair like Lysithea, and an air of nobility. Not haughty or anything, but of no wasting time. Black uniform like the rest, but her pants cut short and had a thing on her shirt that nobility like to wear. 

As they looked upon the students, squires, and knights, they didn't speak. People held their breaths as the two stared into the reception hall. 

It stayed like this for a few minutes before Rhea spoke, "... With the new year passing through, we are happy to accept each and every one of you students. It is a privilege to attend Garreg Mach monastery, and so I do hope you take it to heart." 

As she said that, more people began to sit upright, including Tessa and Dimitri. Claude and Rodney did their own thing. Claude was still leaning back and Rodney was still eating. 

The Archbishop continued, "And this year, we have someone very special attending this year. From the inception of this monastery and the Goddess's teaching, the Adrestian empire has stood with us every step of the way. And now, we have the next emperor right here at our very own church." 

She held out her hand to show the person next to her, "Princess Edelgard." With that, the girl stepped up beside her. 

She nodded to the Archbishop and turned back to the audience. "Thank you, Archbishop. Fellow students, I am happy to be here with you not as a superior, but as equals and as peers. And I believe that we are all equal and the same outside of our houses. I, as the next Adrestian emperor, will make a future that unites us all." 

Her voice got louder and louder by the end. And in the end, it was raised to be able to be heard all the way to the market. Though the more Tessa looked at Edelgard, she couldn't help but notice underlying coldness in her eyes.

Tessa sat there enraptured, Never had she heard such a strong voice come from someone small. Nor did she think it might've come from someone young like her. 

"She's as righteous as ever." 

"Maybe, but don't you think she's a bit too idealistic?" 

Tessa looked to her right to see that Dimitri and Claude were talking. Dimitri's eyes seemed to be glazed over, nostalgic and happy. Claude, however, was smiling at Dimitri, probably trying to tease him. 

The more she looked at his smile, the less real it looked. 

Rhea's warmth grew to everyone in the reception hall. "Thank you for that wonderful speech, you may sit over there." She pointed to the nearest table, which was Tessa's and the rest of the leaders. 

She strode over to them. As she walked over to them, Tessa could feel her eyes on her. She was the only one who wasn't with them outside the monastery. Also, she was wearing a house leader uniform with a white cape. The way she was stared at made her squirm. It was like she was getting dissected. 

The feeling subsided, which made her almost relax. She sat near Dimitri and didn't talk to either of them. Just sit and listen to whatever her Ladyship was going to say. 

Finally, Lady Rhea began introducing them. This made Tessa tense her muscles, and she squeezed her left arm. 

"This year is very unique. Not only do we have the next Adrestian emperor, but we have the next rulers of Faerghus and the Alliance here today as well." 

At that announcement, Dimitri and Claude stood up to face the crowd. One who gave a formal bow and the other, a flirty wave. The reception hall gave a hearty clap to the two leaders. It rolled off both of them. Some looks were rather pointed at Claude and not the good kind.

It was history in the making. 

More-so what came after. 

Lady Rhea looked at her. "My children, for this special occasion. I, as the head of the church, have decided to not just teach and grow the next leaders of Fodlan, but to walk beside them as well. So, by pulling from the church and each of the three houses, we have created the fourth house. Please stand my child." 

So it was her turn. 

Lifting herself off her chair, which gave a heavy _Creee-e_ ** _ak_** , she turned to face the crowd of murmuring faces. 

Steeling herself, she stood upright, making her chest puff out like she was proud by accident. She heard some whispers with some harsh words, " _Who does she think she is."_ Tessa ignored it. Just-focus on what's in front of you, not what was being said. 

Lady Rhea looked to the reception hall, "Tessa Rezian shall be your new fourth house leader." The murmurs started to get louder. The Archbishop put her hand in the air, forcing the reception hall to be silent. 

"You are due," Rhea said with tension. Her voice, though not changing, gained a layer of authority that she reserved with her knights. She kept talking, "to treat her like every other leader, with respect." 

Rhea's voice lessened and became more motherly. "Remember, she is another student, she is a peer among you. Now, Since the day is done, you all can do as you would please." Lady Rhea smiled upon them before turning around and leaving. 

After leaving, the reception hall was quiet. Some looked at her with confusion, others envy, and some-even hatred. 

Though they looked away when she turned her head in their direction. Some said she had a resting 'wench' face. Eyes flat and dead, annoyed or something like that. 

With what happened before, her face did not have the time to rest as it did now. Not resting, but more of... trying hard not to panic. Tessa started to believe people when they said she had a resting 'wench' face. Rodney was even looking at her now. 

After a few seconds of silence, people began to leave and turn their attention away from her. She let out a sigh. 

Claude and Dimitri gave their farewells before leaving. Edelgard gave her a hard stare. She gave a curt goodbye and left. 

She looked down at Rodney, which was to her right side now because she faced the reception hall, she started speaking. "Are you done eating?" 

Rodney was spooked at first. He wiped his mouth with a napkin, before addressing Tessa. "I am now." 

"Good. Well, now that's over, do you wanna walk with me? I would like to get to know you better. Since I'm supposed to be your leader." 

Rodney looked at her, confused, "That's fine, but where?" 

"Well... I don't exactly know. Where do you usually go?"

"The mess hall, greenhouse, and the fishing spot. But... How about going to my room?" 

"Your room?"

"Y-yeah. Not in a weird way, n-no. I just really want to go back to my room, I guess." 

Rodney looked away. He seemed embarrassed by suggesting his room. It wasn't due to attraction, but simply because he felt more comfortable there than anywhere else. 

Tessa nodded, surprising Rodney. "That's fine. C'mon, let's go." She was but a commoner, so she rarely cared for formality, only when it felt like it was the only choice. Like when she spoke with the Archbishop. 

Rodney only looked before nodding as well. He looked a bit happier than before. 

Maybe life at the monastery wouldn't be so and different than what he was used to. 

But then again, what was he was used to a lot of weird things. 

"You're fine with my room?" 

"Yep." 

.

.

.

"Let's go."

"At least let me dump my plate in the Mess hall first. H-hey, wait a minute. It's my room. Shouldn't I lead you there?!" 

"You're a bit slow, so, hurry it up a bit or I might as well sneak into your room without you." 

"Hey, don't joke like that... You're joking, right? Don't ignore me! Tessa!" 

Tessa barked out a laugh, seems 'Rodney' was getting used to her fast. That made her more comfortable. 

This was more like it.

* * *

**Leading Leopard, Hidden Flower. Forging to make the Golden Path. But, at what cost? Especially when they aren't aware of the enemies.**

**Close to and those slithering.**


	3. At least I know you

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Tessa drags Rodney to get to know him better, Meanwhile, the ashen demon tries to reconnect with her students.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry for the long wait, I've been trying to get used to the way Ao3 works.

White Leopards

Tezza and Rodney walked at a fast pace, not bothering with the looks they got from students and the staff. Rodney didn’t exactly cow and look down due to the attention, but he walked closely to Tessa. She wasn’t bothered by it. Better than getting sneered and glared at by some students.

The walk was faster than what they thought it would be, and they were glad for it. Rodney quickly opened the door to let them both in. He slammed the door as Tessa entered, turning red at the sound.

“…Heh, Sorry.”

“That’s not something to say sorry about. Don’t worry about it.” Tessa responded, trying to ease his worries.

He’s still a bit nervous and jittery, especially when she started looking around again.

“…Your room is beautiful” Tessa praised, she looked at the room with a resting face. That was to say, a resting ‘wench’ face.

“That sounded sarcastic.”

“It wasn’t sarcastic, this place is really amazing.” Rodney’s ears grew red at that, but he was smiling. His shoulders sagged a bit, and his chest stopped heaving as fast as it did just a few seconds ago.

Finding the desk, which was surrounded by flowers of gold and... carved stone? The stone carvings were rough, in which there were three shapes, circles, diamonds, and rectangles. They were all quite thick; the rectangles were like small books. The roughness came from chipped areas at the edge of the stone. There were symbols that Tessa has never seen, then again, she wasn’t a mage.

She took the chair and dragged it out for her to sit. Sitting in reverse so she could put her arms on the top rail, she waited for Rodney to take a seat on his bed.

In no time, they both situated themselves and what was left a silence.

Rodney didn’t want to start. Tessa wanted to know him better. So, she waited for him to start.

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Tessa blew her cheeks full of air, having one filled and the other empty. She transferred the air from one cheek to the other while staring at Rodney. The boy with wavy spiky hair looked at all his flowers around him, not paying attention to the other person in the room.

Tessa inwardly sighed. She had to start the conversation, at least this was ‘training’ in becoming a leader.

She turned her attention to the growing tree inside his room, in the corner hidden amongst flowers of blue and white, at the right of Rodney’s desk. It was thin enough to blend in with the brown furniture and wood, but once you see it, you could never unsee it.

“How did you get a tree growing in your room?” Tessa asked.

Rodney perked up at that. “The tree?” Rodney looked beyond her and towards the tree-shrouded in ephemeral light. The tree looked like it was made of glass when looked at a certain angle.

“This room isn’t exactly—the best room. There was a bunch of uneven wood and holes— The one the tree is sprouting from is one of them.” Rodney answered. His eyes roamed his room, pointing at the floor and walls with just his eyesight. Tessa followed his line of sight, soaking up the information.

“…Did Seteth give you this room?” Since the advisor wasn’t with them, she would call him by his name. Sir never sounded good in her mouth. She frowned as Rodney nodded affirmatively.

“That sucks.”

“It does, but it’s better than sleeping in the stable.” Rodney sighed; he was dejected just by thinking about the first few days.

Tessa didn’t say anything on that, if she had some choice words, she wouldn’t say it to Rodney.

Tessa then turned her attention back to the flowers. They invaded her nose and sight just by being in this room. “What are these flowers. I mean—what type of flowers are these?” Tessa stumbled on her words. Rodney didn’t laugh, but he did give a tiny smile.

“The gold ones are Marigolds, the blue is myosotis or forget-me-nots, And the white ones are magnolias.” He gently placed an open hand on one of the magnolias, she started to blink rapidly as it looked as if it ripped itself at the stem and pushed itself into his hand.

“These are very special to me, when Seteth told me they only had forget-me-nots, I devised a way to grow marigolds and magnolias. I wouldn’t want to be without them.”

Rodney seemed to be in his own world after he said that. His eyes were glazed over and had a smile that wasn’t meant for someplace like the monastery, or for her. She also noted that he didn’t say anything about the red ones.

Tessa grew curious, “Does that mean these flowers come from Faerghus?” Rodney stilled. Tessa made sure to note it down in her brain.

“W-why—yes. Of course, they are. Faerghus is my home, after all.” Rodney said that with a voice that turned it more into a question rather than a statement.

Interesting. For Tessa, at least. Rodney was looking at his flowers and ignoring her eyes.

That led her to the next question, “You have eyes like mine-” Rodney turned to look at her this time, “-Where did you get it from?” Tessa leaned a bit forward. The chair creaked under the pressure she was putting on it.

“…From my parents?” Rodney tilted his head to the side.

She phrased it wrong, again.

Tessa didn’t stop staring, “What I mean is—our eyes aren’t like the others. They’re—different, weird, slanted type of eyes. If I’m from the alliance and you’re from Faerghus, where did your parents get them from?”

Rodney stayed silent for a second. Just for a second—before answering her question.

“Well, there’s another boy with eyes like ours, he’s a noble, I think. I believe his name is Felix?”

Rodney said and scratched his head. He looked deep in thought, trying to remember the other boy's face. That scowl he always had on whenever he sees the noble. He was lightly sweating though.

That wasn’t the answer she was looking for.

But then again. What was she looking for? All Seteth said was that he was trying to assimilate, that could just mean he wasn’t used to learning from professors. He was a commoner after all, just like her.

She seemed to have an easier time adapting to the place, but everyone is different. So, it wasn’t fair for her to go by her standards. _And,_ they haven’t even begun learning yet. That started tomorrow.

With their new professor.

Just thinking about the mercenary made her shudder.

Enough, trying to pry information out of him would be a mistake. She wanted to be his friend at the end of the day. Forcing him to come ‘clean’ to her would drive him away.

“What about those red flowers?” She could see the relief in his eyes from her peripheral vision.

Rodney looked at the colony of new flowers he had, “Those are red spider lilies. They’re new to me. So, I am trying to grow them along with the others, but it’s kind of difficult so far.”

She looked around the room and—yeah, they had the smallest population at just a cursory glance.

“Honestly felt like giving up after a while, they refuse to grow with the other flowers.”

The red flowers were clearly separate from the other patches of flowers. Even though the other flowers didn’t exactly mingle, you could see a clear enough divide amongst the gold, blue, and white; but some were right next to each other.

Even the flowers that hung off the tree, all the way to the middle of the ceiling, where they were merged with the green leaves of the corner tree.

“And what of the stones on your desk? What are they?” Tessa picked up the circular carved stone. Same as the rectangle, thick like a small book. Everything about it was carved, the edges weren’t perfect, but you could tell it was supposed to be circular.

They had carved symbols in them. One of blueish green, dark blue, some red, some purple, some yellow, and some of the orange.

Rodney shifted to lay on his head on his pillow, “Those are for magic.” Tessa looked at him, he wasn’t paying attention to the desk, as if it was the most obvious thing.

“I’ve never seen magic like this. What I do know of it is from Lysithea, who makes some off remarks to shoo me away. Those…Runic circles she summons to cast it.”

“Yep, those are the ones,” Rodney answered offhandedly. He closed his eyes for them to rest.

Tessa, however, wouldn’t let it go. “These-” She squinted and tilted her head, “runes are unrecognizable. I haven’t seen runes like these.” The strange, carved iconography wasn’t like any she had seen when she peeked at books Lysithea was studying.

It also didn’t speak of the different colorations of some of the stones themselves.

The tablet-like stone had orange and yellow symbols and had a blueish gray coloration. The diamond-like stones had a very dark complexion, near obsidian in color. This held the red and purple symbols.

The last ones were the circular ones, near white to dirty white, they had the blueish-green and blue symbols.

Tessa turned back to Rodney, “Can you teach me?” Rodney's eyes breached open. He propped himself with one hand and looked at her.

“You want me to teach you magic?”

“Not really, but I just want to know it some more than being clueless.” And to know _him_ more.

Rodney thought about it. He didn’t know what Tessa would do with this knowledge, but she seems to be a straightforward person. It—would be nice to trust someone, again.

Or, to at least know them.

So, he opened his mouth to answer.

-0-

Byleth sipped her tea, honeyed-fruit tea, to be precise. At the other parts of the table were the three house leaders. Dimitri, Edelgard, and Claude.

True leaders.

They who would change Fodlan for what they thought was best, and mostly, they were all correct.

She just wanted them to be alive at the end of it.

“While I am happy that you invited me, and his highness and her highness.” To that, the girl rolled her eyes and Dimitri nodded. “Why did you want to have tea with us?” Claude asked.

Byleth stayed silent for a second. She just wanted to see them again, but she needed an actual reason for them not to be creeped out or suspicious of her. Well, more suspicious of her, anyway.

Placing her tea down to her small plate, “To see if you students are all right. What happened yesterday must’ve been frightening for you, was it not?” She tilted her head to emphasize the point.

Edelgard answered her question, “It wasn’t too frightening, as royalty, we have to deal with attacks on us constantly. It does get annoying, but It’s something we have to deal with if we want to achieve our goals.”

Dimitri continued that train of thought, “That is true. We must deal with it in our homeland. However, we might be our own problems.” He stared at her, but not at her. Through her, to be exact.

Claude only smiled, and again, it did not reach his eyes. “We could be hated even amongst our houses. Oh~ to be noble.” He sounded wistful, his words anything but.

Byleth sat, contemplating on what they just said. She had to regain their trust again. Edelgard and Dimitri would be easy. Claude was a bit harder. Rhea was basically on her side. Sothis’s side she means.

_Byleth, listen to me…_

Sothis has been trying to get her to talk for a while now. About _that student_. She didn’t want to continue that dialogue. The fewer obstacles, the better.

Byleth continued, “And what are your goals?”

This time it took a few seconds for Claude and Dimitri to answer. Edelgard, however, took no such time.

“To unite the Adrestian Empire back to what it once was.” She held herself as any noble would. Focused and precise about her answers. Though, she did not say anything about her actual goals.

“I’m not that sure, to be honest with you. As the next King, I don’t think I’m close to being worthy.” Dimitri was humble, too humble to be the only thing he was thinking about.

“Of course, I will be uniting the entirety of Fodlan, bringing everyone together and we all sing till our dying breaths.”

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Edelgard and Dimitri stared at Claude and his grin that only seemed to get bigger. He gave them a wink. Edelgard was boring holes into him and Dimitri scratched his cheek.

Byleth let out a sigh. One filled with fondness and melancholy. She stared at the bright blue sky. How she missed these moments. If only they could stay students and act like normal students.

Pfff. Students that came from noble backgrounds, were far from normal.

“Claude, please refrain from talking with the professor so casually. You need to treat them with respect.”

“ _Whaaat_? But Professor Eisenberg lets us call him by his first name.”

“That is unprofessional of him and hold on. You call him professor, I thought he lets you call him by his given name?” Dimitri said.

Claude hid a grimace. “Yeah, but he scares me.”

Edelgard had her hand covering her mouth. “That is not something I would’ve known. Interesting.” She could get one over Claude later, now she had to get information.

Edelgard immediately steered the conversation into something else, “And what of the fourth house, the White Leopards. Aren’t they the ones you teach, professor?”

Byleth’s mood dropped and soured. She huffed and silently grimaced. She had to come to terms with this.

“Yes, my students.” That felt bitter in her mouth.

She didn’t know whether to curse or be happy when Edelgard and Claude caught it. Dimitri was none the wiser to the sourness of her voice.

Claude looked especially interested, “Say, teach. Have you met your students, like their leader?” He lazily leaned back and closed one eye, but his tone spoke of prodding.

“I loathe to admit it, but I have the same interest as Claude does. Have you, by chance, met them already?” Edelgard asked. She put her elbows on the table and clasped her hands, covering her chin.

Edelgard held caution in her eyes and distrust, that goes for both of them.

“I have met the leader, though it was brief, I know her name and that she is a commoner.” She spoke in a neutral tone that bordered on indifference.

The next emperor pushed, “Is that all you know?” That was interesting, Hubert tried to get more information out of people that were spies, and yet, all they knew was that she came from a barebones town.

And that Byleth didn’t sound entirely thrilled on teaching her or maybe even the entirety of the White leopards.

This could mean something to her.

Edelgard started to steer the conversation somewhere else, “Don’t you find it weird that the Archbishop would make a house representing the church, and on such short notice?”

Claude side-eyed her, but Byleth jumped in, “I do find it weird, and led by someone of no credentials, too. Being a commoner and all, I can’t help but be worried about the leadership of the house. The leader, Tessa, came from a remote village, and who knows what’s in her head. I don’t trust someone like that with leading a house.” Byleth tried to hide it, but she had a derisive voice that started to leak out.

She wanted them to be on her side against something unordinary, something that wasn’t supposed to be here. Byleth wanted to drive a wedge between the people she knew and the unknown.

Unfortunately, they also caught that.

Both Claude and Edelgard kept silent and processed her words. Edelgard agreed that something was up with the Archbishop, but to question that class simply because it wasn’t led by a noble, didn’t sit right with her.

Claude wasn’t exactly smiling. In fact, he had a contemplative face and was frowning. That… wasn’t what he wanted to hear. Her words alone meant nothing, but adding in how she spoke about it, and that made a knot in his stomach.

“Professor, I don’t think you should talk like that about your students. Here, at Garreg Mach, we are all students willing to learn and step forward. I feel like I should stand up for my fellow students.” Dimitri said.

All of them stared silently at him. He grew flustered before trying to continue his speech. Fortunately, Edelgard helped him out.

“He’s right, just because she was born a commoner does not mean she doesn’t have capabilities.” Edelgard supplemented.

Claude began after her, “And who cares where she’s from, at the end of the day, we’re all people with our problem. We shouldn’t demean someone simply because they’re different from us.”

Byleth watched them break down her words. The Ashen demon thought they would side with her. She berated herself, of course, they wouldn’t let that slide. These were her friends, good people, and better friends.

But they weren’t friends.

She just met them yesterday, you couldn’t even call it a full day. She had memories that would last a lifetime, but they didn’t.

To them, she was a stranger.

Byleth had to be their friend and professor again if she wanted to save them, that went for Rhea as well.

Sighing, she said, “You’re right, I apologize. That was rude for me to say. I need to go with an open-mind to teach them, I’ll be the best teacher they could ask for.” She didn’t know if her words were sincere or not, nor if she would commit to it.

All three leaders nodded before smiling again. They began to talk animatedly about… Random things. Their peers, their houses, the day they’ve been having.

This. This is what she wanted. It seemed that they were getting to know each other, as small as it is. They all had a guarded demeanor about them, but they were talking. Some teasing.

She thought about the new house leader, Tessa. Byleth did not know her in any other times she tried to save her students. Tessa, and maybe others, would be an anomaly.

Olberic and Tessa are the ones to watch out for.

She tried. Again, and Again, to save the people she loved. They were always out of her reach, always pulled out because fate denied her so.

Because of this regiment, she had to teach students she didn’t know, and frankly, didn’t care about.

Byleth had to save the people she loved, the connections she made, all of them were special to her. To see some people suddenly take her role and her student's place, felt wrong to her.

She needed to focus on building her relationships once again. She couldn’t waste time on others.

Was fate conspiring against her? Byleth needed answers.

But Sothis stayed quiet.

After the fiasco that was today, they refused to talk to each other. That was how Byleth thought, but she wasn’t the one answering her friend.

Byleth had to make things work now. She didn’t know if she would be strong enough to go another round, close all avenues of failures, close out all options of Those who slither in the Dark, and close out the people she didn’t know. Whether they took her student's place, or her role.

At least she knew her students. Protect those you know and all.

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Though in the end, the torrent of emotions would threaten to rip her open.


End file.
